Rob Howley will be in charge of Wales as Warren Gatland heads off on Lions duty. Credit: PA

Rob Howley has been named as Wales head coach while Warren Gatland concentrates on his New Zealand tour role with the British and Irish Lions for the next 10 months.

Howley, a long-term Wales assistant coach under Gatland, will take up the role and have what the Welsh Rugby Union announced as "full responsibility" for the senior team with immediate effect. The season features four autumn Tests and a Six Nations campaign.

It is a reprise of the 2012-13 season when Gatland headed up the Lions tour of Australia. Under Howley, Wales lost all of their autumn games that campaign, but recovered impressively to win the Six Nations title.